News & Brews November 2, 2023
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Court strikes down Wolf’s RGGI order
Yesterday, the Commonwealth Court struck down former Gov. Wolf’s order forcing Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. In its ruling, the court said, “Stated simply, to pass constitutional muster, the Commonwealth’s participation in RGGI may only be achieved through legislation duly enacted by the Pennsylvania General Assembly….” Wolf had attempted to bypass the Legislature and unilaterally enact this carbon tax, which would have raised electricity prices and killed thousands of jobs. Responding to the ruling, Republican Rep. Seth Grove (York County) said, “Governor Shapiro should let this failed policy die the peaceful death it deserves and not appeal the decision.” Indeed.
Philly firefighters sue union over ‘pension deception’
Philadelphia firefighters have filed a class action lawsuit against the International Association of Firefighters, Local 22 “alleging that union officials have deprived rank-and-file firefighters of their full pension benefits by knowingly providing bad financial advice.” The Fairness Center, a nonprofit public interest law firm representing the firefighters, explains: “In a limited period prior to retirement, professional firefighters employed by the Philadelphia Fire Department can sell back their unused vacation days and have them count toward their pension benefits. But union officials have ‘actively concealed this information,’ according to the complaint, and have advised rank-and-file firefighters not to sell back their vacation days, costing firefighters potentially thousands of dollars per year in pension benefits.”
Pa. political consulting firm facing sexual assault lawsuit
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that ColdSpark Media, a GOP political consulting firm that’s “a significant political player, particularly in Pennsylvania,” is facing a sexual assault lawsuit. “A former employee … claims in a federal lawsuit that management took no action after she reported she was sexually assaulted by her supervisor at a Pittsburgh restaurant. The complaint … initially filed in August and amended last month, includes claims for sex discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, and aiding and abetting.” ColdSpark denies the allegations.
Podcast: Pa. Supreme Court candidate Judge Carolyn Carluccio
The Delaware Valley Journal podcast caught up with Pennsylvania Supreme Court Republican nominee Judge Carolyn Carluccio to talk about “her bid for the state Supreme Court, her background in the law, and her view of the proper role of the judiciary in PA politics.” Listen here. Commonwealth Partners has endorsed Judge Carluccio for election.
Ed Funding Commission resumes meetings today
The Basic Education Funding Commission will resume its statewide hearings today, with a 9:00 a.m. meeting in Summerdale. Click here for the agenda, and click here to watch the live stream at 9:00 a.m.